| City category | City Composition | Regional characteristics and development strategies | Reconstruction of regional industrial spaces |
| Metropolitan areas | Qingdao, Jinan and Yantai city | Having innovation nuclei, industrial nuclei and policy nuclei. Expansion of Suburbs from suburb counties; rail transit construction; development toward interlocking metroplis. | Interconnection and functional integration of fragmented patches within the High-tech Zone. Functional transformation and upgrading of economic development zone based on informal spacial reconstruction. Integration development of suburbs with urban areas. |
| Cities circling the metropolitan areas | Rizhao, Tai’an and Weihai city | Adjacent to the metropolitan area. Actively docking with the metropolitan area to promote the integrated use of ports and land. Construction of interlocking metroplis by means of interconnection of cities with neibouring metropolitan area. | Promote the synergy and resonance between local advantageous industries and those of adjacent metropolitan area. Based on the characteristic industrial chains of metropolitan area, accept the industrial diffusion of the metropolitan area and develop related supporting industries. |
| Cities with scattered -urban centers | Zaozhaung, Dongying and Zibo city | Typical industrial cities. Multi-center development and scattered expansion circling multi urban centers of the city. The reserve land for expansion is sufficient, showing multi-center spatial sprawl. | Promote interconnection and functional integration of industrial parks in different districts. Specialized development of industrial parks based on technology platform. Construction of industrial complex within the city. |
| Cities with weak urban center and strong suburb counties | Weifang and Linyi city | Better macro location; Strong development of suburban counties. Weak role of urban core in regional industrial organizations. Actively docking with coastal metropolitan areas. | Connect with the coastal metropolitan area and develop supporting industries. Based on the advantages of local agriculture, develop the characteristic industries of suburban counties. specialized configuration of industries within the park. |
| Cities with weak urban center and weak suburb counties | Ji’ning, Heze, Liaocheng, Dezhou and Binzhou city | Located in the hinterland; The development of both urban area and suburban counties is weak. Obvious advantage of agriculture. Obvious supporting characteristics of processing and manufacturing industries. Relatively loose industrial structure. Enclave park strategy based on local comparative advantages of factors. | Urban expansion and industrial matching based on local industrial nuclei; Based on the advantages of agriculture, develop characteristic industries in suburban counties. Development of enclave parks based on the advantages of land and local labor resources. Based on the mode of external incubation—local acceleration of high-tech enterprises, accept brunch plant of high-tech firms. |